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NEWARK, N.J. — Odds are the Calgary Flames this summer will have their highest draft choice since moving to the Stampede City.

With long-shot luck, the Flames will have their highest draft in franchise history, but those odds are considerably longer.

The Flames, who are currently playing leapfrog with the New York Islanders for the 26th and 27th spots in the NHL standings, could win the lottery and be given the No. 1 pick in June’s draft, although sweeping the Florida teams on their road swing may have diminished their chances.

This is an organization that’s twice had the No. 2 pick, in their first two years of existence in the early 1970s. That was when the Flames played in Atlanta.

But most likely, the Flames will end up with the No. 5 pick.

Since coming to Calgary, they’ve never drafted higher than sixth, having been in that slot on four occasions, including last year’s event from which they nabbed centre Sean Monahan, who appears to be a key piece to their rebuild.

We’ll assume the Flames won’t pick any later than sixth, since it would take some really interesting results down the stretch for them to finish as high as 25th in the standings.

With that in mind, here’s a look at the six-pack of prospects who are likely to be the top picks during the June 27-28 draft in Philadelphia — and in no particular order.

C Sam Reinhart

Kootenay Ice (WHL)

The youngest of the three Reinhart boys — including Flames prospect Max Reinhart — Sam is the most dynamic and offensively skilled of the brood. Reinhart, whose father, Paul, played for the Flames among other teams during his NHL career, has been a big-time point producer his whole life.

His skating is a question mark, but his offensive abilities are definitely not. Nor is his hockey sense.

The 6-foot-1, 185-lb. Vancouver product, who’ll turn 19 in November, collected 36 goals and 105 points in just 60 regular-season games for the Ice and then really cranked it up in the playoffs, racking up five goals and 17 points while leading his team to a massive upset of the Calgary Hitmen in the opening round.

To think, he was selected at 15 by the Ice in the WHL bantam draft.

D Aaron Ekblad

Barrie Colts (OHL)

A man among boys, the 6-foot-4, 215-lb. Ekblad is the first defenceman to be given exceptional player status and spend a full under-age season in the OHL.

He appears to be the cornerstone blueliner every team could use, with a blend of size, skill and a touch of nastiness when needed.

Ekblad, who celebrated his 18th birthday in February, has made steady progress through three junior seasons, netting 23 goals and 53 points in 58 games this year for the Colts and even adding another 91 penalty minutes (see what we mean about the blend of skill and truculence?). His playoff numbers are right on track, too.

There are scouts who believe Ekblad is the only prospect who is a slam-dunk to be able to jump to the NHL ranks this season.

It’s hard to believe he won’t be chosen among the first two picks, especially since all the bottom-feeding clubs need an impact defenceman. Check that, every NHL team could use a player like him.

LW Sam Bennett

Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)

The long-held belief going into this season was that Sam Reinhart and Aaron Ekblad would go one-two in the draft.

Bennett may be able to throw a wrench into those expectations and was even placed atop the Central Scouting Service mid-term rankings.

At 6-foot, 180-lb., he may need another year in the junior ranks to help become physically mature enough to be a NHL regular — although the risk run going that route may be of him becoming a little blasé about playing in the OHL — but Bennett’s skills could force the issue.

Consider that the winger racked up 36 goals and 91 points in 57 OHL games and added nine points his team’s seven-game series loss to the Peterborough Petes.

C Leon Draisaitl

Prince Albert Raiders (OHL)

Destined to become the highest drafted player from Germany, Draisaitl has constantly been moving up the charts.

That’s what a 38-goal, 105-point season for the Raiders will do.

The 6-foot-1, 210-lb. centre has intrigued scouts with his abilities. His size doesn’t hurt, either.

Draisaitl, whose father spent many years playing for the German national team, was a dominant player in his country’s junior league at age 16 and moved to North America to further develop his game.

He was nearly a point-per-game producer in his first WHL campaign, after being chosen second overall in the CHL import draft, and then took off further this year.

The Raiders were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Edmonton Oil Kings, and Draisaitl collected three points in those four games, but don’t expect to see him fall down the charts.

C/LW Michael Dal Colle

Oshawa Generals (OHL)

Maybe not originally as offensively dynamic as the other forwards on this list, but a 6-foot-2, 185-lb. forward who can provide a big-time attack and play a two-way game is hard to overlook.

Then again, the offensive numbers don’t disappoint.

Dal Colle followed up a 39-goal, 95-point regular season with five goals and 12 points in five games in the playoffs.

The comparisons range from being similar to Ryan Getzlaf to Erik Staal.

Dal Colle was chosen seventh in the OHL’s draft. Don’t expect him to be around that long when the NHL clubs make their selections.

C William Nylander-Altelius

Modo (Sweden)

The son of another former Flames skater, Michael Nylander, Wiliam, who was actually born in Calgary, will celebrate his 18th birthday May 1. That youthfulness didn’t prevent him from spending the season skating against men, splitting time between the top loop and the second tier of the Swedish Hockey League.

With Modo, the 5-foot-11, 175-lb. centre collected one goal and seven points in 22 games.

That said, the sixth pick of this year’s draft is where things are expected to be anybody’s guess.

Adrian Kempe, one of Nylander’s teammates with Modo could be taken at this point. So could Kasperi Kapanen, the son of former NHLer Sami Kapenen.

Among the other names to watch are Brendan Perlini of the Niagara IceDogs (OHL), Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL) winger Nikolaj Ehlers and Haydn Fleury of the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels.

Sneak-peek at possible Calgary Flames picks in 2014 NHL Draft

NEWARK, N.J. — Odds are the Calgary Flames this summer will have their highest draft choice since moving to the Stampede City.

With long-shot luck, the Flames will have their highest draft in franchise history, but those odds are considerably longer.

The Flames, who are currently playing leapfrog with the New York Islanders for the 26th and 27th spots in the NHL standings, could win the lottery and be given the No. 1 pick in June’s draft, although sweeping the Florida teams on their road swing may have diminished their chances.

This is an organization that’s twice had the No. 2 pick, in their first two years of existence in the early 1970s. That was when the Flames played in Atlanta.